5. Race for druids: Pandaren

[huth]

The biggest problem with the Pandaren is that the role of Druidism is already fulfilled, for the most part, by Monks and the teachings of the Celestials. Any Pandaren Druids would be an extreme minority for decades to come.

I wouldn't call that a problem, actually. For a Pandaren, druidism is just a short hop, not a long jump, since they're already familiar with the basic ideas.

[Mummbles]

Aren't we going back to pre-demonized Draenar? Draenei and Orcs could be legit then.

[huth]

Aren't we going back to pre-demonized Draenar? Draenei and Orcs could be legit then.

That doesn't affect the player characters, since those are from post-destruction Draenor still.

[Jester Joe]

I'd be a Pandaren druid in a heartbeat if I could. A heartbeat!

[Celista]

Cinder Kitty, Baby Blizzard Bear, Moonkin Hatchling and an Ancient Protector (the full sized giant ones, gnomes are odd that way).



On the down side, nobody would play anything else.

With Blizzard's sense of humor, I could totally see them doing this.

[Trubo]

I wouldn't call that a problem, actually. For a Pandaren, druidism is just a short hop, not a long jump, since they're already familiar with the basic ideas.

Why adopt a whole new practice when the current system works just fine for the Pandaren?

[huth]

Why adopt a whole new practice when the current system works just fine for the Pandaren?

Why create a whole new religion when the existing ones work just fine? There's always reasons why people try new things, not the least of which are boredom and curiosity.

[Alltat]

I doubt they'll add any new class options to pandas as long as the race remains popular.

[Ratyrel]

Why adopt a whole new practice when the current system works just fine for the Pandaren?

Lorewise the Pandaren on the turtle profitted from the druids helping to mend the turtle after the airship crashed into him. That kind of power could definitely excite an interest. Also druids are probably excellent gardners and we all know the Pandaren have a thing for cooking.

[Deleted]

having 4 races only for a class is so pathetic nearly 10years in

CHange it already

[Trubo]

Why create a whole new religion when the existing ones work just fine? There's always reasons why people try new things, not the least of which are boredom and curiosity.

Show me the lore characters interested enough in becoming Druids BEFORE the events of the starting area end and I'll bow out. Until then keep in mind that the playerbase Pandaren will always start on the Wandering Isle BEFORE they ever get a chance to interact with the other races.

And before you mention the DK "cop-out", both of those races participated in the Third War with the LK actively performing experiments on Worgen to better convert them.

Lorewise the Pandaren on the turtle profitted from the druids helping to mend the turtle after the airship crashed into him. That kind of power could definitely excite an interest. Also druids are probably excellent gardners and we all know the Pandaren have a thing for cooking.

The Pandaren from the Wandering Isle aren't going to convert to Druidism in such numbers as to undermine Monks which already fulfill the role of a Balance mindset. Maybe in another decade but certainly not by WoD.

- - - Updated - - -

having 4 races only for a class is so pathetic nearly 10years in

CHange it already

Sure, problem is the only two races that would make any sort of sense are Humans and Blood Elves. All the other races are either too new to Druidism (Pandaren), largely uninterested in Druidism (Gnomes, Goblins and Forsaken), have that niche covered with Shamans/Monks (Dwarf, Draenei and Pandaren again), or would never be forgiven by Cenarius for killing him (Orcs).

[huth]

Show me the lore characters interested enough in becoming Druids BEFORE the events of the starting area end and I'll bow out. Until then keep in mind that the playerbase Pandaren will always start on the Wandering Isle BEFORE they ever get a chance to interact with the other races.

What's to stop Blizzard from just introducing them? It wouldn't be to hard to add a Night Elf(or Tauren or whatever) that got stranded on the island at some point in the past, got a few youngsters interested in Druidism and started training them.

The similarity to monks could also mean that they started out as such, but then decided Druidism is more their thing and changed over to that.

You're to focused on what is currently there.

[Trubo]

What's to stop Blizzard from just introducing them? It wouldn't be to hard to add a Night Elf(or Tauren or whatever) that got stranded on the island at some point in the past, got a few youngsters interested in Druidism and started training them.

The similarity to monks could also mean that they started out as such, but then decided Druidism is more their thing and changed over to that.

You're to focused on what is currently there.

Would have to be a Night Elf since Tauren didn't have access to Druidism at the time of the Sundering I believe. Then you'd have people cry ALLIANCE BIAS because a Horde race isn't there to teach them Druidism. Would also have to rewrite the dialogue to account for the fact that they have access to some information about the other races, even if it's only from a single Night Elf, who could also explain to them about things such as the Light and the Dragon Aspects.

Too much effort to do it well so Blizzard will either go with a very half-assed method (looking at you Draenei Monk trainer) or won't bother. I'd err on the side of they wouldn't bother with implementing Pandaren Druids.

[huth]

If there is any strong reason why we won't get one, it's the art resources needed. Blizzard builds their lore around their games, not the other way around.

[Trubo]

If there is any strong reason why we won't get one, it's the art resources needed. Blizzard builds their lore around their games, not the other way around.

Unless they have a very compelling reason to retcon something they typically don't alter the established lore and even then they sort of retcon the changes (Knaack's stuff in particular). Nothing I've seen with regards to Pandaren Druids seems high priority enough to me that Blizzard would actually implement them.

[Deleted]

No other races should get druid imho there is no need and choices are what make the game.

[Daws001]

Yeah it would have been perfect (Pandaren Druids) since being neutral, they wouldn't have had to do two different race/shapeshift forms. Oh well.

I can't get behind the "because of lore" arguments. They found a way around Pally lore to make Blood Knights, they can find a way around Druid lore. You'll never win against imagination. Too many possibilities.

That said, Druids are a popular class so Blizz doesn't really need to go out of their way with them like say Locks.

[Facerockker]

Didn't one of the devs (I think GC) say around the MoP announcement that they considered this, but a bear that turns into a bear seemed weird?

What an awful excuse. Worgen can be druids, and they're already pretty animal like. It isn't weird for a wolf to turn into a cat?
Personally, I love the idea of pandaren druids.

[Trubo]

Yeah it would have been perfect (Pandaren Druids) since being neutral, they wouldn't have had to do two different race/shapeshift forms. Oh well.

I can't get behind the "because of lore" arguments. They found a way around Pally lore to make Blood Knights, they can find a way around Druid lore. You'll never win against imagination. Too many possibilities.

That said, Druids are a popular class so Blizz doesn't really need to go out of their way with them like say Locks.

Blood Knights weren't proper Paladins when they were introduced, instead being parasitic beings that stole M'uru's Light abilities by feeding of its energy. They're probably considered real paladins now given the events seen when you turn that quest item from Kael in TK to A'dal in Shattrah and the end of SP.

Also, Sunwalkers aren't Paladins either; lorewise they're still Druids. They only have Paladin abilities in-game because game mechanics.

[huth]

Unless they have a very compelling reason to retcon something they typically don't alter the established lore and even then they sort of retcon the changes (Knaack's stuff in particular). Nothing I've seen with regards to Pandaren Druids seems high priority enough to me that Blizzard would actually implement them.

They've changed the lore because they just plain forgot about it before. And not something minor, they completely rewrote Sargeras backstory.